Gauging device



W. E. LITTLE GAUGING DEVICE May 16, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1937 Q Av R L lg m R k mm m W m5 K W n N W W v j! n Y B Om.

May 16, 1939. w. E. LITTLE 2,153,466

GAUGING DEVICE Filed July 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ln d. w 0

INVENTOR. Warren E Little ATTORNEY.

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATEN" FFICEZ 11 Claims.

This invention relates to gauging devices and more particularly to apparatus for gauging and orienting lengths of metal sheets or other metal shapes being fed to a shear, punch press or other metal working implement. The invention consists in certain features of the elements per se constituting the apparatus and in certain combinations of the elements, all to be hereinafter specifically described. While I have illustrated the apparatus as applied to a shear, the adaptability of the invention for use with other metal working implements should become obvious as the description proceeds.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gauging device of rugged construction which will readily determine the length of material being fed to the shear or other device and which will readily determine the length of material forward of the plane of shear or other point of Working.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose described which will enable the stock being handled to be readily properly oriented with respect to the plane of shear or the outline of other working.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose described having means for quickly and accurately adjusting the angularity between the orienting surface and the bed of the metal working machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the position of the indexing elements which determine the said lengths of stock may be readily varied.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a construction wherein a multiplicity of indexing elements may be slidably mounted on a suitable support which also forms a support for the material being handled, the elements normally extending above the upper surface of the support so as to engage an edge of the material to properly locate the same but which are adapted to move within the surface when the material rests on them.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and the following detailed specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a gauge bar, constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention, as applied to a squaring shear of conventional design;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a slidable block carrying the retractable indexing element which forms a part of the gauge bar of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the block of Figure 2, showing parts in section;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the machine end of the gauge bar;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectioned isometric view of a modified form of slidable block;

Figure '7 is an end View of the gauge bar;

Figure 8 is an isometric View showing the invention as applied to existing slots in the upper surface of the bed of a shear; and

Figure 9 is a sectioned isometric view of the block utilized in the arrangement of Figure 8.

The squaring shear of Figure 1 consists of a bed ill adjustably supported on the frame members I1, the bolts i5 securing the frames I 7 to the bed by passing through slots l8. Slots I8 permit the bed to be moved horizontally to ad- 1 just the shear and to compensate for the reduced width of the bed caused by the remachining of edge I3 in sharpening the shear. A shear blade 28 having a cutting edge ft to cooperate with edge I3 is suitably mounted for vertical reciprocating movement above the edge 13. The upper surface M of the bed 59 is planar and is provided with a number of inverted T slots extending from the outer face of the bed right angularly toward the plane of the edge 53. A groove I2 is provided in the surface M to facilitate the handling of sheets on the bed.

The gauge bar of Figure 1 consists generally of a pair of spaced parallel guide bars 3%, Mi, pivotally attached at one end of the bed Hi, and suitably supported by one or more pedestals 53. Bars 38 and 43 are maintained in their proper spaced position by a plurality of longitudinally spaced plates 46 which are secured to the lower surfaces of the bars by the cap screws 38 which pass through apertures in the plates, apertures in the spacing blocks ii, and which are screw threaded into the metal of the bars. Bars 3i) and 4E! are L-shaped in cross section, the vertically extending leg of the outer bar 3% extending considerably above the upper portion of bar at. The upper surfaces 32 and 42 of the horizontally disposed portions of the bars Si and ii are in the same horizontal plane and are adapted to support the T-shaped sliding block it, the side edges of which are accurately received within the surfaces 3! and 4! of the bars.

The shear end of the bar 3i? rests directly on the surface i i of the shear bed 69 and is secured thereto by a single cap screw 36 which is screw threaded into the bed. The upper surface of the bar 3% is tapered at 33 towards its end and a longitudinally extending groove 39 is provided in the upper surface of the tapered portion. A wedge shaped block 38 having a complementary tapered surface and a rib 34 to fit the groove 39 is adapted to be placed over the end of bar 3i? to prolong the effective surface of the bar. Normally the block 38 is used. If, however, it is desired to use the shear as a trimming shear which necessitates the passage of the sheet over the end of bar 30, the block 38 is removed in which event the head of bolt 36 is housed within the counterbore of the bar. To enable the gauge bar assembly to pivot about the bolt 36, the horizontally disposed portion of bar 30 and the bar 40 are terminated short of the outer face of the shear bed ID.

A supporting pedestal having an upper flange 52 and a lower flange 5| rigidly secured to the floor by the bolts 53 is positioned under one or more of the plates 46 to support the gauge bar assembly but is not secured to the plates in any manner. The plate 46 simply rests on the flange 52 and so is free to slide on the flange. Another pedestal 55 having an upper plate 5'! rigidly secured thereto and an integral lower flange 56 secured to the floor by the bolts 58 is positioned adjacent the gauge bar on the side opposite the center of the shear. A block 6| having an integrally threaded shank 62 is secured to the plate 51 by the cap screw 68 and nut 60 welded to the surface of the plate 51. A second block 64 having an integral reverse threaded shank 63 is secured to the bar 30 by the cap screw 66. A

turnbuckle 69 connects the opposite free ends of the shanks 62 and 63 and is adapted, upon rotation, to move blocks 61 and 64 further apart or closer together to rotate the bar assembly about cap screw 36 to vary the angular relation between the vertical plane of the shear edge 13 and the vertical plane surface 3! of the bar 30.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the T-shaped block 10 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 12 which is adapted to be positioned between the lower portions of the bars 30 and 40. One end of the member 10 is provided with a central vertically extending slot to receive the finger H which is pivotally mounted therein on the hinge pin 16. Finger H is provided with an integral angular-1y extending weighted end 15, the purpose of which is to normally hold the finger H in raised position. A recess 13 is provided in the lower surface of the block 16 to accommodate the end when the finger H is moved to retracted position. As shown, the finger l'i, when in its raised position presents a vertical surface on the side of the shear and an inclined surface away from the shear. The arrangement is such that the weight of a sheet or other piece of metal placed on the bars will cause the finger H to be moved below the upper surface of the block 16 and bar 40. As the metal is moved toward the shear the uncovered finger will return to its raised position, presenting the vertical surface for use as a guide or stop against which the adjacent edge of the sheet or other piece of metal may be moved to determine the length of metal between said surface and the shear edge l3. Backward movement of the finger H is prevented by the base of the slot 13.

A stud '5'! may be screw threaded into the bottom of block 10 and an enlarged washer 19 and a nut 18 may be provided to securely clamp the block is selected position to the bars, portions of the washer l9 overlying the bottom edges of the bars 30 and 45.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of block which may be used in place of the block of Figures 2 and 3. A counterbored bore extends downwardly through the block M to receive the socket headed screw 81', the head 82 of the screw being housed entirely within the counterbore. A plate 88 having a width substantially equal to the width of the block itself is provided with a tapped aperture to screw threadedly receive the lower end of screw 8'1. Rotation of screw 82 results in movement of the plate 88 toward or away from the block. Plate 88 is prevented from turning relative to the block by the pin 86 which is rigidly secured to plate 88 and extends up into a bore in the block. The block 8! is clamped to the bars 30 and 46 by positioning the plate 88 beneath the bars. A singular advantage oi the modified form of finger carrying block of Figure 6 is that it may be unclamped and clamped in position on the bars by operation of the screw from above, thus reducing the time required to set or reset the positions of the indexing fingers.

Any number of finger carrying blocks may be positioned on the bars, depending on specific conditions, and they may be spaced as desired. If for example a number of strips are to be cut from a large sheet, the spacing of the finger would be determined by the widths of the strips and during the shearing, the sheet would be moved progressively toward the shear to uncover and bear against successive fingers. By holding a straight edge of the sheet against the surface 3| which has previously been squared in relation to the edge 13, the squareness of the cut is insured. The invention is also particularly useful in cutting rectangular sheets from irregularly shaped sheets since two of the fingers may be so adjusted as to give the proper interval between the fingers and the shearing edge 13 representing the width and length of the finished sheet. An important attribute of the invention is that the metal shapes may be quickly cut or worked to proper size at the proper location without the necessity of exacting visual effort on the part of the operator. Consequently the rate of production is increased and the liability of injury to the operator is minimized.

In Figure 8 the slidable block 96 (see Figure 9) is positioned within the inverted T slots I l in the upper surface of the shear bed lb. The peripheral outline of the block 96 is shaped to conform to the cross sectional outline of the slot H and is clamped in adjusted position by the socket headed screw 95 which is in screw threaded engagement with a threaded bore through the block. The lower end of the screw 95 engages the bottom wall of the slot H to hold the block 90 in selected position. Head 92 of screw 95 is housed within a counterbore as illustrated. By suitable extensions secured to the bed N3, the slots ll may be extended outwardly to lend additional support to the sheets being sheared and to extend the distance between the fingers ll carried by blocks 90 and the shearing edge 13. As shown in Figure 9, the block 96 is provided with the laterally extending portions 94 to engage within the recesses of the slot H and a recess 63 to receive the weighted end 75 when the finger is moved to retracted position. The block of Figure 9 together with the finger H performs the same function as does the block and finger of Figures 2, 3 and 6.

The above specifically described embodiments of my invention should be taken as illustrations only of the adaptability of the concepts constituting the invention, the scope of which is indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a machine having metal working elements, a gauge bar pivotally connected with one of said elements and comprising a horizontal plane surface for the support of a portion of the material being processed, a vertical plane surface adjoining said horizontal surface and angularly aligned with the working elements of the machine to constitute a guide for the material being fed into the machine, a retractable indexing element pivotally mounted beneath said first mentioned surface for swinging movement toward said working elements, said indexing element when in outward position presenting a vertical surface on the side of the working elements, and means to limit the pivotal movement of said indexing element in a direction away from said working element.

2. In combination with a machine having metal working elements, a gauge bar comprising a horizontal plane surface for the support of a portion of the material being worked, a retractable indexing element pivotally mounted beneath said surface for swinging movement toward the working elements of the machine, said indexing element when in outward position extending above said surface and presenting a vertical surface on the side of the working elements, means to limit the outward pivotal movement of said indexing element, means for varying the interval between said indexing element and said working element, and means to lock said element in selected position comprising a member engaging said bar.

3. In combination with a metal working machine, a gauge bar comprising a horizontal plane surface for the support of a portion of the material being worked, said bar extending outwardly from the material entering side of said machine, a plurality of longitudinally spaced retractable indexing elements pivotally mounted on said bar for movement from above said surface to below said surface, said indexing elements when in upper position presenting a vertical surface on the side of the machine, means to limit the outward movement of said elements and means for varying the interval between the elements and between the elements and the machine, and means to lock said elements in selected position comprising a member engaging said bar.

4. A gauge bar comprising a pair of spaced parallel L-shaped bars having their horizontally disposed portions extending toward each other, the vertical portion of one of said bars extending above the vertical portion of the other of the bars, a block slidably mounted on the horizontally dispose'd portions of the bars and having an upper surface in the plane of the upper surface of said other of said bars, means to secure said block in adjusted position on said bars, and a retractable indexing element carried by said block and normally presenting a portion thereof above said plane.

5. A movable support for a gauge bar comprising a block having a plane upper surface and a central depending narrowed portion, a vertical slot in one end of said block, a pivotally mounted finger normally in said slot and having a portion thereof extending above said surface, said finger having an angularly disposed weighted lower end to maintain said portion above said surface, and a recess in said depending portion to receive said weighted end upon pivotal movement of said finger.

6. In combination with a metal working machine, a gauge bar pivotally attached at one end to a fixed member of said machine for movement in a horizontal plane, a plurality of retractable indexing elements normally extending above the working surface of said bar, means to slidably support the other end of said bar, a fixed support laterally positioned with respect to said bar, and means between said fixed support and said bar to vary and secure the angular position of said bar.

'7. In combination with a metal working machine having a bed fixed in relation to the working elements, a guide bar extending outwardly from said bed, one end of said bar resting on said bed, the upper surface of said bar being tapered downwardly toward the end thereof, a wedge-shaped block having a tapered end positioned on the tapered end of the bar and having a portion thereof resting on said bed, aligned vertical apertures in said bar and said block. a counterbore in the aperture in the bar, and a cap screw passing through said apertures and screw threaded into said bed.

8. A gauging device for a machine having a fixed element and a movable element comprising an elongated bar secured at one end to the fixed element of the machine, a member slidable alon said bar, an indexing element carried by said member and pivotally movable from an upstanding position toward said fixed element into a retracted position, and means to lock said slidable member in selected position on said bar comprising means to clamp said slidable member and bar together.

9. A gauging device for a machine having a fixed element and a movable element comprising a rigid elongated member for the partial support of sheet material being worked upon by said machine, one end of said elongated member being pivotally attached to said fixed element, a guide surface carried with said elongated member and extending in a plane parallel with the pivotal axis of said member, and a retractable indexing device slidably supported on said elongated member.

10. A gauging device for a machine having working elements comprising a support connected with and extending outwardly from these said working elements, a carrier slidably supported on said support, an indexing element supported by said carrier and movable from below to above the upper surface of said support, means biasing said element to upper position, means to lock said carrier in selected position along said support, said element having an inclined surface on the side thereof opposite said working element whereby material supported on said support and moving toward said working elements will cause said indexing element to move to its lower position.

11. A gauging device for a machine having ing working elements comprising a guide connected with and extending outwardly from said working elements, a carrier slidably supported on said guide, an indexing element supported on said carrier and movable from a position behind to a position outwardly of the outer material engaging surface of said guide, means biasing said element to outward position, means to lock said carrier in selected position along said guide, said indexing element being provided with a cam surface on the side thereof opposite said working elements whereby material moving along said guide and towards said working element will cause said indexing element to move to a retracted position behind said outer surface of said guide.

WARREN E. HTILE. 

